My Review of The LifeCo Centre in Phuket, Thailand
Written and reviewed by Shabs Ash – 16 December 2016
After more than a month of birthday indulgence (you read that right – any excuse to celebrate), I thought I’d end the celebrations in style, with a week-long retreat at The LifeCo in Phuket, Thailand. It would be the ultimate birthday treat of relaxation, yoga and healthy nutrition.
I was excited and ready to do a mini juice detox and to sample the beautiful, healthy and nutritious raw food dishes from the Saf restaurant at the LifeCo Centre.
I arrived on a Friday, and was greeted by the Health Program Manager, Ms Anjeza Aksu who thoroughly went through a health questionnaire with me. After consulting with her, we decided I would embark on their Master Detox programe: five days of delicious juices or shakes with bentonite clay and psyllium husks. I would also have soups and various herbal teas along with vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, herbs and probiotics to aid the detox.
On day six, I would slowly transition back to eating healthy food by doing their ‘Green Salad Detox Program’. On day seven, I would sample their ‘Anti-Aging Healthy Nutrition Program’.
Eating delicious, nutritious food again
After five days on a liquid diet – albeit one I really enjoyed – it felt good to be eating again. I cannot praise the LifeCo Saf Restaurant raw food enough: I was blown away by the mouth-watering raw vegan dishes. I sampled pad Thai, tom yam soup, coconut fruit yogurt dessert and many more delightful dishes. All the raw dishes were tasty, healthy and most satisfying: exactly what I needed after my juice cleanse. If I was served food like this every day, I’d never go back to eating cooked food again!
How was my week at the LifeCo
The theory behind the Master detox or consuming a liquid only diet for a few days is that it gives our bodies the chance to rest and heal. It gives our digestive systems a much needed break from constant eating. Digesting food takes a lot of energy from our bodies and when the body is given a break from digestion, it can use this surplus energy to repair and renew the cells of our body.
Although I knew these benefits, the first two days were difficult. I struggled with detox symptoms like fatigue, headaches and nausea. I kept myself positive by reminding myself that these sensations were simply my body cleansing itself. By day three, I began to feel the benefits of the program and my energy levels picked up. The regular shakes, herbs and supplements stopped the feelings of hunger, and I felt positive and optimistic.
The many activities offered by LifeCo also helped the juice cleanse fly by. The program is varied and flexible, which meant I could opt in or out to any activity.
I usually began my day with a walk along the beach: a nice, gentle way of getting the body moving. There is no better feeling than breathing in the fresh morning sea breeze, hearing the waves come and go with the feeling of soft warm sand under your feet. Then there were the various yoga and meditation classes. I absolutely loved my morning yoga and religiously attended each day. LifeCo also has an excellent resources library which I used on occasion: watching health documentaries or reading a wide array of books.
There were various ‘Healthy Lifestyle talks’ such as ‘Life after Detox’ dotted throughout the week which I found most useful. I also channelled my inner child by jumping on the trampoline most days and made use of the steam room and Infrared sauna. Dry skin brushing is recommended for health and detox and I made use of their turbosonic machine. The turbosonic uses patented sonic vibration technology to increase circulation, tone muscles, detoxify the body and help maintain a healthy weight. There are also available an array of delightful massages and spa therapies to enhance your experience.
I also attended the raw food workshops demonstrated by LifeCo’s very own chef Donatas, which I found enjoyable and very useful. Donatas showed us how to make a variety of recipes with just a few key ingredients and emphasised to us that with a little creativity, raw food does not have to be boring or just a few carrot sticks. Then there were the other guests who were all so lovely so there was ample opportunity to be social and to share experiences with each other.
My room was cool, clean and comfortable and looked out onto my own private patio and pool, surrounded by nature and greenery. It was lovely to lie outside on the recliner star gazing in the evenings or just relaxing in the sun during the day.
Colema – The Angel of Water (Colon Cleansing)
The program also included a daily colema, something that helps immensely during a detox. It was my first experience with “The Angel of Water,” a colema which cleanses the colon with water or hydrotherapy. The cleanse is self-administered and I found it comfortable and pleasant to use. The bonus is how amazing and light you feel after each colema. The colema removes waste and toxins from the large intestine and also helps with the detoxification process.
What did I learn from my experience
My week at the LifeCo was relaxing and much needed. I was surrounded by nature and beauty and by the end of the seven days I felt blissed out and pretty amazing. I would recommend this experience to anyone wanting to rejuvenate body and mind.
I gained a renewed sense of perspective and calm. I felt lighter, more focused and ready to return to everyday life with a sense of increased health and vigour. It also confirmed to me the importance of what I call ‘real nutrient dense foods’. If we try to focus the majority of our diet on real food such as fruits and vegetables with some nuts and seeds, the body has a natural way of healing itself. If these plant-based foods are consumed in their natural raw state that can help too as the enzymes in the food are still intact and the nutrient content high. Nature has it all figured out and has built our cure into these natural, unaltered plant-based foods.
To find out more about LifeCo
LifeCo offers various health programs as well as a cancer treatment program with a team of medical professionals and an onsite doctor. If you need more information, you can take a look at their website here:
The LifeCo Centre
They have four centres, three in Turkey and one in Phuket, Thailand.
All my readers will be entitled to a 10% discount for any of their bookings at the LifeCo. Please mention the code ‘HHR Life’ when calling them to make your bookings. Thank you.
